Theme of Alienation in Literature Essay - 1118 Words

A Alienation is a common theme in literature as it can elicit many deep emotions. It can be attached to characters who have acted very drastically or who need to do so. Either way, alienated characters create a sense of intrigue with the personal reliance that they are faced with. Receiving help from others is not as applicable to these people. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s, â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil,† Anne Sexton’s, â€Å"The Farmer’s Wife,† and T.S. Eliot’s â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock† each magnificently create their own sense of character alienation. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s, â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil,† the story is told of the isolation of a man draped with a black veil over his face. At the beginning when the minister, Mr. Hooper,†¦show more content†¦Though so much darkness was attributed to Hooper when he wore the veil, he gave off a glimmering of light when around others. For example, when Hooper’s wife tried to get him to remove the veil, he stayed firm in his veil wearing with his smile being used as a reminder that this was his choice and he had his reasons. Although it might have increased his alienation, Hooper never changed the portrayal of his emotions,. However, the veil did make Hooper a better clergymen. More people would demand to see him to repent their sins or to speak when on their deathbed. Here, the difficulty in Hooper’s veiled life was demonstrated. He gave tremendous help and donated ample time to these people, yet in return he received nothing. He was both feared and unloved, making him unreachable in facets of life where joy could be shared. Hooper was alienated both socially and physically. When Hooper’s wife, the closest person in his life, left him he somehow smiled at these disastrous events. He was able to oddly laugh to himself that it was a simple garment that kept him physically detached from others. At this point, Hooper attempted to find solace in whatever he could to offset the damages of his actions. Hawthorne let the audience realize that this alienation, although caused by such a simple thing, was of Hawthorne’s self-infliction. The course of Hooper’s life became very sadShow MoreRelatedEssay Theme of Alienation in Literature929 Words   |  4 PagesTheme of Alienation in Literature A common theme among the works of Nathaniel Hawthorne is alienation. Alienation is defined as emotional isolation or dissociation from others. In Hawthornes novels and short stories, characters are consistently alienated and experience isolation from society. These characters are separated from their loved ones both physically and psychologically. The harsh judgmental conditions of Puritan society are the cause of isolation for theseRead MoreAnalysis Of A Rose For Emily Essay1643 Words   |  7 PagesMatthew M. 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